Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. It is comprised of protein filaments that grow from hair follicles in the dermis, or skin. Except in areas of glabrous skin, the human body is covered in hair follicles that produce thick terminal or fine vellus hair. In humans terminal hair covers the head and is often considered one of the distinctive physical attributes of a person. Hair is also an important biomaterial and is primarily composed of protein, notably alpha-keratin.
Human and mammalian hair is subject to variety of stressors including aging, genetic predisposition, endocrine disorders, medication, nutritional factors, emotional stress, the natural elements, over-treatment with chemicals such as dyes, perms and straighteners, and physical stress (e.g. head coverings, hair braids and weaves). These stressors can result in hair loss or thinning, and in hair that is dry, frizzy, oily, brittle, damaged, dull and/or unmanageable. Hair loss or thinning is a common problem for both men and women, and provokes anxiety and distress that reflects the symbolic and psychosocial importance of hair. Hair loss can result from dry or brittle hair because, in this condition, hair breaks off close to the scalp or falls out from the follicle in excessive amounts. This type of abnormal hair loss is generally treated by attempting to keep the remaining hair supple and soft and encouraging new growth from the follicles in the scalp so as to prevent additional hair loss. Dandruff and excess sebum may also encourage hair loss. Dandruff is a common affliction usually associated with the human scalp area. The skin normally sloughs off skin surfaces, which are then washed away at frequent intervals so that the sloughing off process is not noticeable. Because the scalp is not normally washed as often as other parts of the body, the sloughed-off skin may accumulate on the scalp and together with the natural oils exuded by the scalp create a suitable environment for bacterial growth, some of which are known to be associated with hair loss. In addition, many hair products include ingredients that can contribute to hair loss, especially if the hair is fragile or previously damaged. For example, 90% of shampoos contain surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate that irritate the scalp and strip the hair of oils, making the hair weaker and more prone to damage. A vast majority of hair products also contain silicones. Silicone not only surrounds the hair, causing it to dry out from within, but also builds a non-water soluble layer on the scalp, causing sebum production to increase and build up under the silicone layer. Too much sebum results in an oily scalp, which in turn affects the hair growth cycle and can foster dandruff.
The market is replete with products promising to repair and restore damaged hair. However, these products are generally cosmetic; they treat only the surface look of the hair and do not repair or foster hair health by providing the hair with nutrients necessary to restore and maintain hair health.
Furthermore, although natural oils have been used for treating damaged hair, such compositions are generally not effective. Typically, they use one oil as a carrier and fail to provide the necessary nutrients to repair, protect and restore damaged hair and scalp. Furthermore, such compositions are generally difficult to use and often are not well-absorbed into the hair, rendering it heavy and dull and unpleasant to the touch. While lighter and faster absorbing hair oils can be used, they do not contain and therefore cannot provide the nutrition necessary to repair, protect and restore damaged hair and scalp. In fact, an oil product may be essentially completely absorbed by the hair but still not provide the desired beneficial effect on the hair because it does not have the hair nutrition components necessary to support healthy hair growth or repair damage hair.
Furthermore, many so-called natural oils on the market are not natural oils at all, because they include silicone oils as a primary ingredient. For example, KR20170030739A discloses a composition for hair care comprising silicone oils, natural vegetable oils, phenoxyethanol and Panthenol. While silicone oils may protect the hair strand against humidity and friction and initially appear to have a beneficial effect, they do not have any restorative properties for the hair and tend to dry out the hair in the long run. As discussed above silicones surround the hair, causing it to dry out from within. They also create a non-water soluble layer on the scalp, causing sebum production to increase and build up under the silicone layer. Silicones, especially water-insoluble ones, are difficult to wash out. Thus hair treated with products containing silicones requires aggressive shampoos to remove the silicone build-up from the hair and scalp, which further dries out the hair. In particular, water-insoluble silicones can be washed away only with shampoos containing sulfates. Furthermore, while the hair is coated with silicone, no other substance (e.g. oil, water, protein nutrients) can access the roots of the hair. Thus silicones also impede the absorption of nutritional ingredients included in the product. The presence of water-insoluble silicones in the hair therefore causes long-term damage to the hair resulting in drying and breakage. Ultimately straight or wavy hair tends to look greasy, heavy and dull.
There is therefore a need for a personal care oil composition that overcomes the above problems and is both well-absorbed and nourishing and effectively repairs, protects and fortifies hair.